 | Robert Scheibmeir
is owner and operator of Foot Care of Kansas, and the Good Feet Store. The Good Feet Store is a dealership that was opened in October 2001. Foot Care of Kansas opened in June 2002 and serves the needs of diabetics as well as other medical foot care problems. Prior to purchasing Foot Care of Kansas and the Good Feet Store, Mr. Scheibmeir owned and operated Robert’s Shoecare Services in Hutchinson, Kansas for 12 years. Robert has been working with foot care for more than 23 years. He became a Certified Pedorthist in 1999, which requires an extensive knowledge of the foot and how to make shoes and arch supports work together. You may contact Robert at Good Feet at 316-945-9300 or at Foot Care of Kansas at (316) 944-2120. |
Health & Medicine
2002-08-01 12:24:00
Your feet and pregnancy
Robert Scheibmeir
Question: Do pregnant women have any special foot-related problems? Answer: Unfortunately, yes. Not only does the extra weight caused by pregnancy increase pressure on an expectant mother's feet, but the concentration of that weight in the belly changes her center of gravity and affects her balance. Most pregnant women compensate by altering their gait. They tend to walk in a toe-out fashion, which puts additional stress on the ligaments of the feet. Meanwhile, hormonal changes occur in the body which relax the ligaments in preparation for the birthing process. While these changes are normal and necessary, they also tend to make the plantar fascia - the foot's arch ligament - stretch under the body's extra weight. This causes the arch to lose some of its supporting strength. The feet grow flatter and wider - often by as much as a full shoe-size - particularly if the woman begins to retain fluid, a common complaint during the latter stage of pregnancy. During this time it is important for the woman to wear shoes that will accommodate her changed balance and provide relief and support for her feet and ankles. Good running shoes are a wise choice. At the opposite end of the shoe spectrum, narrow-toed and high-heeled shoes can cause foot pain and greatly increase the chance of foot and ankle injury during pregnancy. After childbirth, it can take up to six months for these changes to reverse themselves and the feet to return to their normal size and shape. In cases where the plantar fascia has been stretched excessively, the foot changes can become permanent.
